“Obviously we have to make some improvements quickly,” he said at noon Friday, just 12 1/2 hours after the Dolphins sputtered to a 19-14 loss at Buffalo, their third defeat in a row.

“I don’t know if there’s any one immediate fix that will solve everything, but we have to go back to work starting today.”

...

Dolphins radio analyst Joe Rose said “guys are in a little slump right now, mentally,” rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill hasn’t been at his best and the Dolphins lack the weapons to come back from early deficits. They fell down 21-0 to Tennessee in the second quarter and trailed Buffalo 19-7 at halftime.

“I don’t think Ryan’s playing his best football right now,” Rose said of Tannehill, who threw two interceptions during an unsuccessful comeback effort Thursday.

“And when they go down, I don’t know if we have enough firepower to come back. When it’s a two-score game, it feels like a five-score game.”

...

“What’s the evolution of the offense? I’m watching the same plays over and over,” former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said Friday on his radio show on 560 AM. “We had our early game plan, they figured our game plan out, then when it was time for us to turn the next page, we turned the page and it was empty.”

We definitely need to make adjustments, the big question is "Can we?". Looking at the lack of push up front, the lack of a running game, the inconsistent protection, I'd have to say this might be an issue that gets fixed next year in the draft/free agency.

“What’s the evolution of the offense? I’m watching the same plays over and over,” former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said Friday on his radio show on 560 AM. “We had our early game plan, they figured our game plan out, then when it was time for us to turn the next page, we turned the page and it was empty.”

Actually well put by Crowder. For some crazy reason, this team has started to really regress and it is a shame when they were looking good sitting at 4-3 and playing decent football.

Would love to see just how many slants we have thrown versus other patterns. The most common passes I see Tannehill throwing are the routes near the sidelines. He rarely hits anything over the middle, or to a receiver running towards the middle.

_________________Philbin's countenance exudes confidence!1984 was so long ago...Will there ever be another rainbow?

I would like to see more of Clay. He creates mismatches. Tannehill simply missed him with the throw and he was in position to score easily.

Interesting we don't see more slants...the bread and butter route in Green Bay. Could that be because of the tipped passes at the line?

Yep, Tannehill would like to have that one back. Clay was open and Tannehill put it a little too far out in front of him. It looked like their timing was just a bit off. If Clay is one step ahead of where he was, or if Tannehill takes a little zip off the ball, that could have been six on the board.

“What’s the evolution of the offense? I’m watching the same plays over and over,” former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said Friday on his radio show on 560 AM. “We had our early game plan, they figured our game plan out, then when it was time for us to turn the next page, we turned the page and it was empty.”

Actually well put by Crowder. For some crazy reason, this team has started to really regress and it is a shame when they were looking good sitting at 4-3 and playing decent football.

I think teams have figured out that stuffing the box and keeping a safety over the top relegates us to dink and dunk football. Since we dont' have a legitimate deep threat or a run game to really speak of, teams can cheat a bit in terms of their gameplan. I think if we do win it's going to be games like the ones against the Rams or Bengals, we will need to jump out to a lead early. Playing ahead keeps the other teams honest. Where we'll struggle is when we have to come from behind and teams can really pass rush the heck out of us and let their safeties ballhawk.

In the immediate future I don't see any help coming either. We're going to have to grind out the rest of the sason. But help should be coming next year via the draft and free agency. We've got a lot of picks and a lot of $$$.

But help should be coming next year via the draft and free agency. We've got a lot of picks and a lot of $$$.

WK , I know this team can go out & sign Ryan Leaf or Jamarcus Russell & you would find something positive about that (& that is not a knock on you as I read your posts & admire your positiveness) but I am getting tired of hearing things like this. I am all for keeping continuity in this regime & I am not a FIREland guy but even with his accomplishments picking guys in the draft he seems to go the safe route which has really limited us on finding that superior offensive weapon & free agency has really not done much for us. Lesser teams have surpassed us dramatically. I am so tired of being told we won the battle in August only to be eliminated from the war by the end of November.So being frugal & stockpiling picks while nice in theory is not a reason for us to get excited. It seems when we draft we get so excited because we addressed a need but once the season starts we realize we did not fill that need.

But help should be coming next year via the draft and free agency. We've got a lot of picks and a lot of $$$.

WK , I know this team can go out & sign Ryan Leaf or Jamarcus Russell & you would find something positive about that (& that is not a knock on you as I read your posts & admire your positiveness) but I am getting tired of hearing things like this. I am all for keeping continuity in this regime & I am not a FIREland guy but even with his accomplishments picking guys in the draft he seems to go the safe route which has really limited us on finding that superior offensive weapon & free agency has really not done much for us. Lesser teams have surpassed us dramatically. I am so tired of being told we won the battle in August only to be eliminated from the war by the end of November.So being frugal & stockpiling picks while nice in theory is not a reason for us to get excited. It seems when we draft we get so excited because we addressed a need but once the season starts we realize we did not fill that need.

I get it, I understand what you're angry about. But at the end of the season our owner will have to evaluate how we finished, then judge whether or not Ireland deserves to stick around and use all of the picks he acquired. Maybe the best thing for this team will be to bring in a new GM that has experience building good offenses, someone who knows Philbin and Sherman and has Packers ties perhaps? I'm not too sure who that would be, but we'll find out sooner or later. With the way things have transpired, Ireland is certainly not above being fired. This new staff is only in year one, replacing their GM now wouldn't negatively affect us too much. It might actually improve things depending on who we hire.

While I have some confidence left in our GM , I have none in our owner. I shutter when I hear people say he will have to evaluate.

You mean the same crazy owner who tried to replace Tony Sparano with Jim Harbaugh? And the same crazy owner who said he would not rest until we found a franchise quarterback? Yeah, I really don't know what's wrong with that guy.

While I have some confidence left in our GM , I have none in our owner. I shutter when I hear people say he will have to evaluate.

You mean the same crazy owner who tried to replace Tony Sparano with Jim Harbaugh? And the same crazy owner who said he would not rest until we found a franchise quarterback? Yeah, I really don't know what's wrong with that guy.

Yeah the Harbaugh thing gave him credibility on that issue but lets face it , he was trying to hire a friend while still having a coach employed. Then he tries to save face with a Bull crap press conferenceto extend him while trying to show unity when Sparano could not even look into his or Irelands face. What owner's goal is it not to have a franchise QB. All he was doing there was listening to fans & media. Made this team a laughing stock with the celebs & orange carpet , honoring Tebow & the Gators at halftime while sucking up to another potential coaching candidate. I will stop there & keep my fin up. Go to a game , his crappy influence is all over. He is eliminating the hard core fan for the fair weather one who might leave at half time but will drop major dollars on champagne & a club Liv membership. Look , I know the owner is basically the one constant & criticizing him clearly goes against any effect that the kool aid has but until he hires a "football guy" (DUH) the only way things change is if we happen to get lucky. Even so my opinion will not change of this guy so you can start a petition to ban me as I know the owner might be viewed as god like but he sucks.

I don't think said player would have made the offense better than stagnant.

Time to move on already...

Its tough to determine. Not sure Marshall's attitude would have been great with a rookie starter and he even threw Moore under the bus during the Pro Bowl. The guy wanted out.

However, once you had Moore taking some chances with Marshall it opened some things up for the passing game. I think Tannehill would have benefited from a guy you could throw jump balls to. Not saying this offense would be lights out, but it would be better.

I think they really miscalculated on Naanee and Johnson being big targets for Tannehill. Probably thought Naanee was that guy who could go over the middle and outwork defenders for a tight throw. Johnson was that guy who could run the slant and find ways to get open.

I don't know what Matthews and Egnew have, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised or disheartened if Hartline, Bess and Clay were the only receiving options that returned next year.

More like coaching. The niners were nothing until Harbough came in. That line played inconsistant agasint the Giants. The Bears were on thier heels all night. They didn't know what was coming at them. THey blitzed, it was ahot read, they thought pass it was a run. THey lined up in about 10 different formations last night. The fins are predictable.

More like coaching. The niners were nothing until Harbough came in. That line played inconsistant agasint the Giants. The Bears were on thier heels all night. They didn't know what was coming at them. THey blitzed, it was ahot read, they thought pass it was a run. THey lined up in about 10 different formations last night. The fins are predictable.

We have been predictable for a long time now... when I can watch a game and know exactly what's coming from my team it's too easy. If I know what's coming... the defense definitely knows what's coming.

While I have some confidence left in our GM , I have none in our owner. I shutter when I hear people say he will have to evaluate.

You mean the same crazy owner who tried to replace Tony Sparano with Jim Harbaugh? And the same crazy owner who said he would not rest until we found a franchise quarterback? Yeah, I really don't know what's wrong with that guy.

Yeah the Harbaugh thing gave him credibility on that issue but lets face it , he was trying to hire a friend while still having a coach employed. Then he tries to save face with a Bull crap press conferenceto extend him while trying to show unity when Sparano could not even look into his or Irelands face. What owner's goal is it not to have a franchise QB. All he was doing there was listening to fans & media. Made this team a laughing stock with the celebs & orange carpet , honoring Tebow & the Gators at halftime while sucking up to another potential coaching candidate. I will stop there & keep my fin up. Go to a game , his crappy influence is all over. He is eliminating the hard core fan for the fair weather one who might leave at half time but will drop major dollars on champagne & a club Liv membership. Look , I know the owner is basically the one constant & criticizing him clearly goes against any effect that the kool aid has but until he hires a "football guy" (DUH) the only way things change is if we happen to get lucky. Even so my opinion will not change of this guy so you can start a petition to ban me as I know the owner might be viewed as god like but he sucks.

I think you're right in many ways. If it were up to me, I'd take away some of Ireland's powers, or hire someone else, and then appoint a head of football operations like we used to have. I don't think we need to go crazy and hire someone like Parcells again, but we do need to find someone who knows the game and can keep everyone in check. Keeping one guy from calling all the shots is key.

Our biggest problem is lack of play-makers who can bust loose. Why not throw Thigpen out in some WR sets like they did in pre-season? He's a mismatch and has already shown his ability tomake players miss and take it the distance. Worked in pre-season.